Govt so far gives 1st tranche of Rs 2,000 to over 2 cr farmers under PM-Kisan: Agri Min

The Centre has transferred the first instalment of Rs 2,000 each to over 2 crore farmers so far under the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said Wednesday.

In the Interim Budget 2019-20, the central government had announced the PM-Kisan scheme under which Rs 6,000 per year will be given in three instalments to 12 crore small and marginal farmers holding cultivable land up to 2 hectares. It promised to give the first instalment of Rs 2,000 by March.

On February 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially launched the scheme in Uttar Pradesh by transferring the first tranche amount to over one crore farmers.

"Many states are seriously showing interest to implement the scheme and sending the data. So far, over 2 crore farmers have been benefitted," Singh told reporters.

Some states such as West Bengal, the minister said, are not keen to roll out the scheme and therefore not providing the data. "To such states, I only ...